Soccer-Vallotto relishing Norway challenge in Swiss Euro opener
BASEL, Switzerland (Reuters) -Hosts Switzerland kick off their Women's Euro 2025 against Norway in Basel on Wednesday, and for Swiss midfielder Smilla Vallotto the game will be a dream come true as she faces the country where she grew up and fell in love with the game.
Vallotto was born in Geneva before her family moved to Norway four years later, and it was in the southwestern city of Stavanger that Smilla began her path in the game.
However, despite a successful start in Norwegian grassroots football, when the time came to pick a national team to represent, the choice fell on the country of her birth.
"To play against great players who play in the biggest clubs in the world, it will absolutely be tough, but it will be a great experience," Vallotto told Reuters in an interview.
The two sides have already met twice in the Women's Nations League this year, with Norway winning 1-0 away and 2-1 at home, giving Vallotto a flavour of what awaits at St. Jakob-Park in Basel on Wednesday evening as the tournament gets underway.
"It will be a little strange to hear the (Norwegian) national anthem, I always hum along to it. We are hungry for revenge for two defeats that weren't deserved, we could have had draws so we are hungry for revenge," Vallotto said.
On July 1, her transfer from Swedish club Hammarby to VfL Wolfsburg in Germany became official, but the 21-year-old said she hasn't been affected by the hype surrounding the Euros or the change of club in recent months.
"For me, it's always been about taking one game at a time - I don't really think about the long term, I think about the short term, so it hasn't been too stressful," she added.
"I've developed a huge amount since I came to Hammarby, I've had a big progression with good coaches and good players who make me better every day. I never thought I would have had such a good progression after two years in Hammarby, but I've done it and now I feel ready for something different."
The only short-term goal in sight for Vallotto as the Euros begin is getting through to the knockout round.
"We want to get out of the group stage and get to the quarter-finals and then see how well we do, but on home soil, everything can happen," she said.
(Reporting by Philip O'ConnorEditing by Christian Radnedge)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
8 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Prosecutors call for PSG's Achraf Hakimi to face rape trial
NANTERRE (France), Aug 2 — French prosecutors on Friday called for Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi to face trial for the alleged rape of a woman in 2023 which the Moroccan international denies. The Nanterre prosecutor's office told AFP that they had requested that the investigating judge refer the rape charge to a criminal court. 'It is now up to the investigating magistrate to make a decision within the framework of his order,' the prosecutor's office told AFP in a statement. Hakimi, 26, played a major role in PSG's run to their first Champions League title, the full-back scoring the opener in the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in the final in May. Hakimi, who helped Morocco to their historic progress to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, was charged in March, 2023 with raping a 24-year-old woman. Hakimi allegedly paid for his accuser to travel to his home on February 25, 2023, in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt while his wife and children were away on holiday. The woman went to a police station following the encounter alleging rape and was questioned by police. Although the woman refused to make a formal accusation, prosecutors decided to press charges against the player. She told police at the time that she had met Hakimi in January 2023 on Instagram. On the night in question she said she had travelled to his house in a taxi paid for by Hakimi. She told police Hakimi had started kissing her and making non-consensual sexual advances, before raping her, a police source told AFP at the time. She said she managed to break free to text a friend who came to pick her up. 'Attempted extortion' Contacted by AFP after Friday's development Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin described the call by prosecutors for a trial as 'incomprehensible and senseless in light of the case's elements'. 'We, along with Achraf Hakimi, remain as calm as we were at the start of the proceedings. 'If these requisitions were to be followed, we would obviously pursue all avenues of appeal,' she continued. According to Colin, her client had 'been the target of an attempted extortion'. 'Nothing in this case suggests an attempted extortion,' Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the woman, said. 'My client welcomes this news with immense relief,' she told AFP. 'We will not tolerate any smear or destabilisation campaign, as is unfortunately still too often the case for women who have the courage to report the rape of which they are victims,' she added. The son of a cleaning lady and a street vendor, both Moroccans who have lived in Spain since the 1980s, Hakimi was born in Getafe, a southern suburb of Madrid. Hakimi came through the youth system at Real Madrid before joining Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in 2018. He went on to make 73 appearances for the German club. He moved to Inter Milan in 2020 and then on to PSG in 2021 where he has established himself as an integral part of the team. In Qatar, Hakimi was a cornerstone of the Morocco team that became the first African or Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup. — AFP
The Star
13 hours ago
- The Star
Chess-Carlsen claims first Esports World Cup title
(Reuters) -Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen won the inaugural Esports World Cup chess tournament on Friday, defeating Alireza Firouzja in Riyadh. World number one Carlsen claimed the $250,000 top prize and saw his Team Liquid sneak ahead in the overall championship after his win over Firouzja. The prize pool of the tournament was $1.5 million. "It's been an amazing show, unlike anything I've ever seen," Carlsen said just before lifting the trophy on stage, with pyrotechnics lighting up behind him. The inclusion of the centuries-old board game in the esports tournament comes after it experienced a significant revival during the pandemic. (Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk)
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Marchand shatters record as US, Australia win more world gold
Leon Marchand is focusing on the individual medley events in Singapore. (AP pic) SINGAPORE : Leon Marchand smashed the 200m individual medley world record in Singapore today with another breathtaking swim while Australia and the US celebrated more gold. Racing in the semi-finals at the World Championships, the 23-year-old Frenchman wiped more than a second off the previous record of 1:54.00s set by Ryan Lochte in 2011. Marchand beat Michael Phelps's long-standing 400m medley record at the World Championships in Japan two years ago. 'Actually I can't believe it right now,' said Marchand, who won four individual golds in front of his home fans at the Paris Olympics a year ago and was the face of the Games. 'I knew I was going to be close to my PB (personal best) because I felt really good today and preparation has been pretty good. 'But 1:52s is unbelievable for me.' Marchand took an extended break from swimming after Paris and only returned to competition in May. He is focusing on the individual medley events in Singapore and had said he was gunning for Lochte's record. Marchand got his World Championships campaign underway this morning, clocking a time of 1:57.63s in the heats. He said he would go all-out for the record in the semi-finals rather than conserve his energy for tomorrow's final. 'Whirlwind' In today's finals, Tunisia's Ahmed Jaouadi won the 800m freestyle thanks to a perfectly timed attack. Jaouadi made his move midway through the race and eased away to touch the wall in 7:36.88s, ahead of German pair Sven Schwarz (7:39.96s) and 400m champion Lukas Maertens (7:40.19s). Jaouadi, who finished fourth at last year's Paris Olympics, clocked the third-fastest time ever. 'At some point I saw that the rhythm wasn't that fast so I decided to just go and make the move,' said the 20-year-old. Ireland's Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen finished last. Australia's Olympic champion Mollie O'Callaghan was just as emphatic in romping to victory in the women's 200m freestyle in 1:53.48s. Second was China's Li Bingjie (1:54.52s) and third Claire Weinstein of the US (1:54.67s). O'Callaghan said it had been a 'whirlwind'. Since winning gold at the Paris Games, O'Callaghan has been injured and had some badly needed time to recharge. She has spoken about struggling to live up to the hype since Paris. 'I know it's been hard for a lot of people to come back after the Olympics but very grateful to have a good support team behind me to get me through this mentally and physically,' said the 21-year-old. Luca Urlando of the US celebrated the biggest title of his career with gold in the 200m butterfly in 1:51.87s. Italy's Simone Cerasuolo pipped Russian Kirill Prigoda to 50m breaststroke gold, touching home in 26.54s. A 'neutral athletes' team made up of Russian swimmers won the mixed 4x100m medley relay, finishing ahead of China and Canada. After four days of the championships, Australia lead the medals table with four golds, with the US on three and Germany and Canada two. Summer McIntosh of Canada will be looking to make it three golds for herself in as many races tomorrow when she goes in the 200m butterfly. Also in the final is China's 12-year-old schoolgirl Yu Zidi, as she attempts to bag a historic medal on her debut competition on the world stage.
